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Business Legal Advice: Starting Up

17 May 2023

EPO Solicitors Business Legal Advice Group of people setting up a new business

Start-Up Business Legal Advice: Understanding the Legal Requirements

Starting a business can be an exciting and rewarding venture, but it is important to understand the legal requirements involved in the process. Failure to comply with legal requirements can result in fines, legal liabilities, and even the closure of your business. At Eddowes, Perry, & Osborne Solicitors, we have collected the starting tips for business legal advice for your new company in the UK.

Business Legal Advice for Your New Company

Choose a Legal Structure

One of the first legal requirements you need to consider when starting a business is choosing a legal structure. There are several options available, including a sole trader, a partnership, a limited liability partnership (LLP), and a limited company. Each structure has different legal requirements and implications, so it’s important to do your research and choose the one that is best suited for your business.

Don’t Forget to Register Your Business

Once you have chosen your legal structure, you will need next is to register your business with the relevant authorities. If you are a sole trader, you will need to register for self-employment with HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC). Whereas, if you are a partnership, LLP, or limited company, you will need to register your business with Companies House.

Obtain Necessary Permits and Licences

Depending on the nature of your business, you may now need to obtain permits and licenses to operate legally. For example, if you are opening a business that plans to sell alcohol, you will need to obtain a premises license. If you plan to operate a food business, you will need to register with your local authority and obtain a food hygiene rating. Other businesses may require specific permits or licenses depending on the industry they operate in. Our team at EPO Solicitors will be more than happy to support you with the business legal advice to help you understand which permits and licences you will need, and who is the appropriate governing body to submit them to. Contact us today to learn more!

Comply with Health and Safety Regulations

All businesses have a legal obligation to comply with health and safety regulations. This includes providing a safe working environment for employees and complying with regulations around fire safety, first aid, and hazardous substances. Any failure to comply with health & safety regulations can result in fines and legal liabilities.

Protect Your Intellectual Property

If your business has unique products, services, or branding, it’s important to protect your intellectual property. This can include registering trademarks, patents, and copyrights. Failure to protect your intellectual property can result in competitors copying your products, services, or branding, which can damage your business and reputation. Alternatively, it will be important for you to ensure that you do not use or replicate another business’s intellectual property. This can also lead to fines and legal liabilities.

Ensure That You Comply with Data Protection Regulations (GDPR)

If your business collects and/or processes personal data, you will need to comply with data protection regulations. This includes the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which sets out rules around how personal data must be collected, processed, and stored. Failure to comply with data protection regulations can result in fines and legal liabilities. Ensure that you have gathered the relevant permissions to use and store your customer’s data. You are also liable to guarantee that their data will not be wrongly used or sold in compliance with Data Protection Laws. If you need further legal advice for your business, our team can support you to understand the appropriate data collection and storage methods.

EPO solicitors Legal business advice two men sharing legal advice in a meeting

What Legal Business Advice Can You Expect from EPO Solicitors

Starting a business involves many legal requirements, from choosing a legal structure to complying with health and safety regulations. It’s important to do your research and ensure you comply with all the relevant legal requirements to avoid fines, legal liabilities, and other negative consequences. Seeking advice from a solicitor or business advisor can also be beneficial in ensuring you comply with all legal requirements and have a solid legal foundation for your business.

Other topics that we can provide legal business support include:

Employment laws
Litigations and Dispute Resolution
Property Laws
Corporate Governance
Regulatory Compliance
And much more!

Contact Us Today

At EPO Solicitors, we can provide you with comprehensive legal business advice and support for a wide range of legal issues that your business may face, ensuring that all our clients have a solid legal foundation for their operations and can operate confidently within the bounds of the law.

To discuss your business’s legal requirements, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team today!

Samuel Sparrow

16:20 23 Sep 22

Bought my first home which completed today, and I could not be happier!My Solicitor, Katie Dwyer, was absolutely fantastic and helped me each step of the way. Her guidance, professionalism and support was second to none. She even went out of her way to assist by attending a meeting in the evening to ensure that documents were completed when needed. I honestly could not have had a better Solicitor. If you want a fantastic Solicitor, contact Katie at Eddowes Perry & Osbourne. She was recommended to me. I, like a lot of others, have come to realise that Katie is not only a truly talented Solicitor, but also an incredible person.

Jean Wall

13:24 08 Aug 22

We have been with Eddowes Perry and Osbourne for many, many years and have always had excellent service for all of our legal needs.This time we chose them again to do the conveyancing for our house sale and house purchase.Maria was excellent; her professional approach to the job gave us peace of mind throughout the process. She was diligent and thorough in all aspects of the work. We had regular updates and all of our questions and concerns were addressed timely and positively with no drama.I would wholeheartedly recommend Maria for her conveyancing skills and EPO for all aspects of legal work.Thank you to all the team members but to Maria and Sarah in particular.

TW-Automotive

17:44 12 Jul 22

Reviewing on a B2B basis... Worked with Yassa to deliver some branding for their company vehicle, effortless to deal with and most importantly paid instantly. Any prospective customers / businesses no need to worry when it comes to EPO. Great people.

Saurabh Paul

21:37 06 Jul 22

We had the pleasure of having Maria as our conveyancing solicitor, for my purchase and sales that concluded couple of weeks ago. Right from the start of the engagement, I found Maria very professional, transparent and courteous. She ticked all the boxes that one could think of to make the rather complex conveyancing process smooth and easier. Given the post covid market conditions having a right solicitors was very important and I can only be thankful to Maria and the EPO team for overcoming the challenges on our sales and our purchase to ensure timely completion. At all times she kept us well informed about the progress and provided us with a first class service in terms of the guidance and ensuring appropriate due diligence. Can’t thank Maria and her team enough for their hard work. Maria is trustworthy and a safe pair of hands for any conveyancing needs.

Howard Allen

15:02 07 May 22

I found it easy to contact this company and their communication is exceptionally good. An appointment for my mother to have a home visit was quickly arranged for a date and time that suited her. The solicitor took the trouble to comply with the Covid restrictions at my mother’s accommodation and the visit was not at all rushed. The solicitor put my mother at ease and was particularly courteous and helpful. Having taken my mother’s instructions the solicitor quickly produced the draft document and arranged for a follow up visit for the final document to be signed. This involved some more work than was originally quoted for but the invoice was for the quoted amount. The solicitor was thoroughly professional and efficient but, importantly for my mother, friendly and approachable. I wish that I had used this company for other legal work that I have needed recently as I am sure that I would have had a much better experience. I would definitely use this company for any future work and wholeheartedly recommend them to others. Thanks very much for such an excellent and considerate job.